WASHINGTON, November 19, 2014–About 6 million families living in underserved and poor areas in Mexico will benefit from a shared program of the World Bank with the Federal Government of Mexico for US$350... Show More + million approved by the Board of Directors and signed today in a high level ceremony.The President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, spearheaded the event to celebrate this new phase of collaboration between the World Bank and the Mexican Government in the area of social protection, which was attended by the President of the World Bank Group (WBG), Jim Yong Kim.Under the leadership of the Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL), the government is pursuing a new strategy to strengthen the social protection system and to make it more comprehensive to support those who leave poverty, generate income and thus boost their social mobility. PROSPERA, as the successor of the Oportunidades program, seeks to link conditional cash transfers to productive and financial inclusion activities."The Show Less -

For the countries with the longest running programs—active for at least 10 years—such as Mexico, Brazil, and Chile, bringing all the countries together to learn about conditional cash transfer (CCTs) programs... Show More + and labor policies, provides an opportunity to exchange ideas and improvements. Last month, representatives met in Brasilia.Here are a few examples the progress they have made and obstacles they have faced:Brazil: This country inspired other countries to set up the Cadastro Único, or Single Register, as the primary means of identification for the poor population. Brazil is building 2,100 health centers and implementing full-scale elementary education at 17,500 elementary schools to improve health coverage and education among Bolsa Família participants.Chile: The country launched the Ingreso Ético Familiar (Ethical Family Payment) system in 2012. The priority is to give the poorest people (especially women, who head 54% of low-income households), access to the labor market. Those w Show Less -

February 23, 2011 – An estimated 210 million people are out of work worldwide, the highest level of unemployment ever recorded. Twelve months after a devastating earthquake, nearly one million Haitians... Show More + still live in tents or other temporary shelters. Food prices are spiking beyond the levels of the 2007-2008 food crisis, and the Arab world faces sweeping political change.People worldwide face greater uncertainty at a time when family support and other traditional safety nets have eroded. To better protect people in low- and middle-income countries from economic and social risks and boost their resilience, the World Bank is devising a new social protection and labor strategy that will guide its work with countries and development partners during the next 10 years.The Bank, which has just announced the start of its first round of global strategy consultations, views effective social protection and labor programs as central to its poverty-fighting, opportunity-creating development mission Show Less -